Sign device



March 4, 1930.

A. R. BLooM 1,749,062

SIGN DEVICE Filedv April 2 7, 1927 s sheets-shea 2 o O o0 o O o o ko o[IJ E 1: [al gm I'"w i II.. I l Di 'J3 Q o m o Ro o O Ooooocpooo ooo o Oi Ooo oooo -7\o INVENTO/.

March 4, 1930.

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i a e5 i Patented Mar. 4,v

"i"Aarem-R4@weer MINNEAPOLIS, 'MINNESOTA sien DEVICE ApplicationVvfiled,` April 27,

y This invention relates to a signor dinlfay device andA particularlytoy such a 'device constructed. and'k arrangedjalternately to displayVVdierent pictures-or signs. It is a, well known l 1 i5 factthat theattention 'ofthe publicv is much moreeasilydrawn1toapicture which. movesfor changes thantoa picturey WhiChi'S iii Star .tionary formforcondition.- It isdesirable,

.Y u therefore,wto have an advertising device 10. yWhichchanges ordisplays different pictures *or inscriptions. It isalso desirable.,invanadv:veztising device arranged for use by some Q l particularinstitutiom'to havevpermanent ins. ks crifptions'thereon nlsaidinstitutionparticularly applicable l to i j It is'also desirable,rto'have an advertising device `ot simple'y andinexpensive:construcy,tion and onei Which y'can be lnexpensivelyiopcrafted'. f

".20 ,Ity is an object-of. this invention, therefore, l @to yprovide asmpleand.y efficient displayy orv 'advertisingdevice,constructed andarranged *alternatelyj 'to displa a `different pictures or inscriptions,and pre erablyy also displaythe y i' e z ,zinamenof the advertiserfj I lrItis ajfurtheifobject-of the,inven`tion to 7 Y' provid-e an advertisingor display device con- S'tmaafand man.geay to' display dite-rent 4rpictures-gorr lainscriptions' with, illuminating *Itis another objectof the invention to PTO- f vide a sign or display device'arrangcd alv''.ternatelyvto display different` pictures' or inf scriptions, the samebeing so constructed as the Vpicture an eifectrof relief. s

.'Itfis stillfa-nother object of lthe invention to `provide asign ordisplay'device having a .and also Hconsti'iicted"and arrangedk toreadilypermit" insertion of; vdifferent. ,pictures ory in- "scriptions y p f 'yvThese and other obj ects 'andr` advantages of the invention will-befully setforth in the tollovvingdescription madey inkk rconnectionvrwith the*accompanyingdrawings, in which i f likereference charac-tersrefer toy similarparts '25.9 vthr;,ongliout the :several views 'and 1.11which y Referring to the drawings, particularly `ivlien Ai-,liu'minated'f at'` fcertain. time, to l Agivev 'simplev efficient` cabinet arranged.ei'eci 'Y Vtivelyto'fdisplay the pictures :or inscriptions,

1927:. Serial No. 186,946.

Fig. l is a viewlin front elevation O the cabinet used; 'Fig. 2 is 'avertical section taken on line `2-2 of Fig. l, as ndcated'by the arrows;

' F ignk isa horizontal section taken on line ,5,5

3;-.3 of'Fig. l asf indicated bythe arrows.; kFig. 4 is a view in frontelevation of one side of a vsheet used with the device;

, Fig.' 5 is a partial vievi7 0f the other side of the sheet shown inFig. l; n .o0

` Fig. 6r is ra view of onesiole of the second sheet used; and v, e Y

Fig. 7 'is apartial section similar to Fig. 3

shown on ,an enlarged scale.

Figs. l to ,3, a 4cabinet i-S shown comprising'a bottoiiimeniber lOkhaving an upper flat portion With front andrear fl'anges'l()EL and 10brespectively extending substantially at right angles therefrom andforming supporting AZ0 means therefor. Themember l0 also has an upwardlyprojecting front flange 10y extendn ving aboveits top flat portion. The4said cabinet has ak rear Wall 11 which has forward-ly inclined portionslla atl each` side-and -for- Wardly extending portions" 11" extendingtherefrom and substantially at right angles to its `main rearv portion.,Guide-1 channels 11'C are provided, having their 'channelsfackinginwarolly and towards each other between tlie"'t'ront-partlof theportions 11- and While` these' channel members` may be variously`terrined and 'Golls'tnicted, in the embodiment off the inventionlllustrated they? are shown vras formed byfolding and bendingthe 8,5

:member trom 4,which parts llEL .andllbare formedu While the members'lQand lil-'may be formed Yofv various materials,theyV are irllustratedas formed from Some .Sheet material such as metal. Disposed in the.guide .a0

members- 11a and slidably and removably engaging the same are the guidemembers ,12

illustrated as. formed from a folded Piece 'of sheet material or metalhaving rectangu- 4'larchannels at their inner sides facing .each other.A. pair of transparent plates 13 are vshovy'I-i disposed in the `guidechannels of membersand ysaid plates have disposed therebetween a.plurality" oftranslucentsheets 1A;y tobe later described. yIt be`S'titel v1.00

that the member 11 with its portions 11a and 11b extends downwardly atthe rear and sides of the inemer 10, as shown in Fig. 2. Disposed ateach side ot the member 11 and.

forwardly thereof, is an auxiliary casing 15 illustrated as beingrectangular in cross section and. as having'a rearwardly extendingilange'illa-extending along theouter side'ot' the portion 11b. rlie rodlextends across the casing and through each of the portions 11b and 15,having its `Vends 'tlireadedwand' equipped with wing nuts 17, thusholding casings 15 vagainst the member V11. The casings 15 have ttshapedplates. 18. secured therein adjacent their lower ends forming thebottomsthlere'or, and as shown in Fig. 3, the sides of the casings 15whichai'e directed inwardly ortowaid the plates 13, have openingstherein and'iianges 15"- extend from these sides* inwardly Y and towardthe plates 113.

The" front sides el the casings 15 also have openings 15C' cut therein#and said lcasings have small angle members 19 secured at theiry whenremoves iieaccess to the ilates'i 2l Vwhich are thus sli'dably removabletroni their guide members. 7A top or lid 23 is provided for the cabinet;having the greater portion of its 'surface' siopingfdownwardly towardtherear as shown in Fig. 2, but having horizontal portions V23EL at eachside, .said lid hav- .ing a downwardly extending flange 23b at'itsrearand ends overlapping the top yotthe memberll. The lid' atitst'rontbetween the' vflat portions 23au has inwardlyfextendin g side la'nges 23whichY are-disposed inv planes slightly-'in the rear ofthe tront'edge etV4'l 'e said to said froiit'edve havinga downwardly extending flange-23dwhich oif'erlaps kthe flanges l15b` being .disposed` between' the `innersides of the casings'15. The'froiit jot vsaid top has ailange 23"',vextending upwardly and al pair; 'of transparenty plates 241 areVdisposed in theV rear of the ianges 23c and in` frontottheftlange 23eand in front-otthe small vertically extending flange 23f` atv the upperportion of the top 23. `The flange'23f normally extends slightly nrearward and has a Ushaped orchannelshaped'portionrlQS of resilientslieetn'iaterial which extends over [the front edge ot the plates 24.The bottom niembc-,r l() carries *apair ot lamp sockets 27 'adapted toreceive the'electric lamprbulbs-28 which are thusA disposed between themember 11 'and the vplates 13, the inner surface of member 11 preferablybeing-termed with high reflecting capacity'.v The memberslS inthecasings 15 also have standards secured there- Ain Fie" 1 "bulbsB9fiepresentiiig*the pitoo'tlig ts.

to carrying lamp socket-s 29 adapted to receive the lamp bulbs 3D andthe inner sidesof cas-Ukv ings 15, and the inner side of the flanges 15bare also formed as reflecting surfaces. f Elec'- f trical conduct-orsv31V are shown as extending into a box or casing 32 containing a flashingmechanism secured totheunder side of the A member 10, which conductorseXtendto lamp' socketsrf27 and other conductors 33 extend 4from casing32 Ato the ,lamp sockets 29. 4The llashing mechanism' 82 willalternately illumi nate-and extinguishthe lamps 28V andf30. Suchflashing devices' arev now well known and need not be` further shownordescribed.

Vrthe cabinet described is adapted to receive advertising material'orfsonie institution such as a. banlrandthe sheet 25 between thezplates24 may hav'etheinaine et .the bank thereon asy indicated in Fier;1:1.;The sheets 21' betweenthe plates20vvliiclisheets willibe transluf'cent, Vmay have thereon words. such as' shown 7ol Y which in'dicatetheeharacteristi'cs'or qualities'o'vf' the institution; .A coloredtrans-vlucent sheetinay be placed vin the rear et. or `in the iront-ot thesheet carrying thedesired A y so. words suoli as Strength and Servicef7VklvThe sheetsjlt disposed'rbetween the plates l13 will 'carry variouspictures' or inscriptionsA related to the business orworkottlie'instituf' tion using theadvertismg device. `Gne'set oifsheets which may be used between `*plates 13 1 sheets adjacent theliront plate 18 is shown in A AFig. 4. fr V'this picture'represents'thetrent oi?"` 1D0 l a' theatre including the `stage., theboxes at if each'side thereof-land theorchestrapit-VVA :lt

a` whitespace is shown with thev inscription Make your next actawisefoneg?, with'the iiguieo'tthe-owl therein.-Lanip bulbs 34 are Y.

shown surrounding the stage and lamp bulbs Sfarev shown'on theboxes aswell as'lamp The picture will be put up in colors and certain colors areindicated in Fig.4,ftlie curtain 36 'will be seen tliatonth'efcenter of:the curtain' 'f Jies` beingvi'ndicated as blue,y as are also the,`drapvei'ies37 tortherboxesl The ldecoration s.38 the sides and topofthey stage. areindicated `as red. -Other portions ot *theA picturefwill also be colored.

The sheet shown in is the front sheet, vhas on its reversefrside thepicture shown in Fig. `5. This: picture is ar? Y ranged to coincide.with the picture shownin VFig. l and also has inscriptionsthereonywhich Fig. il, whiclifas stated,V

izov

arere'versed so .that-they' willshow through i the sheet. in correctposition". inscriptions in the large lettersl is Savings account,lwliileabove the saine inv vsmall letters occur the words Come in and"start a.

-lt will be seen that a large 'part' ot the sheet shown inFig.- 51 inblackfas indicated attO which part is' opaque,v`v whichblack porti-on.alineswith the boit` portions of 'the'picture on One of thesehasfa.-.portion 41""indicated as red and this portionwalines with the`decorative strip around :the stage on the obverseplctureinvcljudingt-hemembers38'and the parts carryfingthe lightsf34. The picture also hasvacant spaces/or'White spaces 42alined. With they cur- .tail-'136: onthe observe sideL and With the black pOrtiOnsimmediately inside of saidcurtain. The portion 43. indicated as green alines With the White spaceat the. other side of the pictu rev and it will be seen that there arealso Wings 44 adapted to fit at each sidev of the picture of the,y owl'at the robverse Side in tronto'l" which certainpiecesV of' money areshown, the centrai partgof the owl beingv shown. in VWhite. 'l Thepicture also contains {Whitespaces 45 wvhiclr alinewiththe. sheets ofmusicr45a on the musi-e racks, ofthe orchestrashown in Fig. l4. There,yare alsofsmall: round White., spaces 46 ywhich faline. ink the y,pictureon the other ,side v with the., lamps 34 about the stageand also ythelamps35 about the boxes.

There is'falso a White lstrip orrportion 47 which linesl with .the spaceon. the obverse sideextending between the. linesfbetween'which the lamps39 are shown.

' A Anotheresheet12.42%V used-'in the yrear'of the front sheet I4y fandythis' sheet has on its front. side.. a picture' similarv to thepictures shown. in Figllf4 including ,the Words Savaccount;Saidlsheetalso has on its reverseA sideY al picture similar `to the'picture .shown in. Fig. 5. The rear sheet 143hovv-` ever, has-certain:portions thereof cut yout or` cut; away. These portions, yas shown inFig.

6,'"comprise thelower portions or balcony portionofthe 'boxes 418.Otherf'cutout por- .tionsfinclude the` ovfvl at the ce'nterincludingvthe Win'gsthereot andthe pieces off'money ad- 2q'ja-cent, thereto asshown at 49 and theV rectangularportion,50"vvhichf alines With the Words`shov'znfiiin reverse-'in Fig-.4, Come ini and, start 'A v Thereis'alsoa'cut: out portionl 'alinf ing.-..with1 the portion/in Fig. 4,'shoWi-nggthe loorlofi-jthe. stagey infront of' the curtain:including-thespace in which 'the footlights 39 arev disposed and 'therearecut' out portions 52 .coineiuingwah the 'what spaces iishowa in' f 5DFig.' 5 andthe pieces of music on the music lracksfof themusicians shownin Fig-4. There f isalso a. cutout space54 Whichv alines with therectangularspaces shown in Fig. 4, bearing L ther letterfA indicatingthe particular act. 55

Thel sheet-.14a shown inFig.- 6 also has small cutout portions 5 3 which:aline With-the lights 34V around the sidesof the stage asshowninFig-4L` V. The ink used forfthe diderent colors'f on ,60,

sheet-14- is of 'y di'erent intensities for said .colorsrespectively lfoperationn the sheetsr 14 'andH 14a yare j pla'cedbe'tweenf the plates13" and Vthe picture '65 13'. er Thel'ampsQS are thenatlirst'extinguished shownfin Figl4 ifsseenr through theffront platevisible.

`and the lampsr 30 in casings r15 are lighted.

ice. The Words at the top of the cabinet Willalso be. visible, althoughnot illuminated. The lamps 28- and' 30A are periodically alternatelylighted and extinguished'. The light from the lamps 30 is directedagainst the front'of the picture 'shown in Fig. 4, so that the pictureisr illuminated byrelected light and it appears merely as shown in Fig.4. Nhen the lamps -30 are extinguished and the'lamps 28 lighted, thepicture shown in Fig. 5 which is on the reverse sideV of the front sheet14 is also seen and blends with the picture shown in Fig. 4. A compositeeifect is thus obtained ot' the pictures on the front andy rear ofsheetY 14. The Wings 44 `appear on the owl as Well as the pieces ofmoney. A green tinge is given to the central ypart of the picture andboth the inscriptions shownL in Fig. 4 and that shown in Fig. 5 areFurthermore, the light fromr the lamps 28'shines through the openings 48to 54 and the portions of the pictures on the frontsheet in alinementwith these openings areV accentuated. The owl and the money adjacentfthesame, the. WordsCome in and start a, the front-of the stage, therectangles havingy the letters A. therein andthe lamps about the stage,kandy the boxes, as Well as the y sheets of musicy on the racks of themusicians are thus illuminated more highly than the other parts of* thepicture. Thisy accentuated illumination is-also assistedby the Whiteportionson the rearv of the front sheet '14 as shown in Fig. 5. Theaccentuated'illumination is given a dii'erential effect by the differentintensities voi" ther-ink used in making the different colors. Thisdiiierential illumina: tion iseiiected on different parts or".A thepicture, as ythecurtains, the green'portion 43 and the `different partsot' the owl figure. Thisl accentuated' illumination' causes the parts soilluminated to stand' out and give the elect of 'being in relief. Thechange causedin the picture is quitestri-king andthe added informationgiven by` the inscriptions on the ne I rear of the front sheet 14constitute/a very Y striking advertisement.l It desired, colored ysheets21 maybe inserted betweexrtlie plates 20 so' that'vhen thelamps 30 areilluminated, there will be a colored border about the Words on the sheet2l.k

' From the Yabove description it isseen that appli'cant'hasprovided avery simple and highly eil'ective advertising device. The same is merelyconnected to a source `of electric current such as an ordinary socket orplug and the device thenv functions l automatically yto .displayv thesign in its twoconditions. The

change is made atperiods of three secondsor ymore andlan' attractivesigny is thus pro- 4vided. Inpr'actice a series'ofpictures are usedwhich-are changed atintervals so that fresh subject matter is frequentlydisplayed.

The illumination when the device is operatedV Vas described, givestheelifect or aiianimated.

picture, part of which is brought out in reliet and the informationwhich it is desired to emphasize orto impress upon the observers is veryeiilectively exhibited. The device has been demonstrated in yactualpractice and 'found to be very successful and eliicient.

`It will, of course, be understood that various changes may-be made inthe form, de-

tails, arrangement andvprop'ortioiis of the parts, without departingfrom the scope .of applicants invention, which, generally stated,

- Y `consists in a device capable'of carrying out thefobjectsl alcoveVset forth, inthe novel parts and Vcmnbinations of'parts disclosed anddefined in the. appended claims.:

.lVhat fiSfclaimed is :-1 i. n

ll Asign display device having in combination, ka translucentsheethaving a picture on-.its front side adapted to be illu- .ninatedandviewed by reflected light', saidV anda light source in therear'osaidsheehV said sources of' light-being adapted to be alternatelyoperated kwhereby.whensaid last `mentioned lightsource isoperated,portions of said Vpicturesv yare accentuated anda relief effectproduced. f Q

2.l A sign display device having i-ii coinbination, a translucent sheethaving a picture on itsv iront side adaptedto 'be illuminated 'andviewed byrefl'ected light, said sheet having a'picture onrits opposite`side alined with said picture adapted to be viewed compositely therewithby li glit passing through said sheet, a' second sheet in ktherear ofsaidiirst men'- tioned sheetr having openings-therein coinciding withcertain portions of said pictures,a light source forward Aof said sheetsand allightsource in the rear of saidslieets, saidlight sourcesVadaptedy to be alternately operatedwhereby said first picture will beseen when 'said first light-.sourceis operated and a Vcomposite picturewill be seen when said second light source is operated. 4

A3. Afsign display device, having in com. bination, a translucent sheethaving a picture on its iront side'adapted tobe illuminated Aand viewedVby reflected light, said ysheet having a picture on its opposite sidealined `Awith said pictureadaptedr to be viewed conipositely therewithby light passing through said sheet, a second sheet in the rear of saidsheet having similar pictures `of said plates and sheets.

alined with said pictures ,openings therein coinciding with certain'denite portions of said pictures, a light source forward of said sheetand a light source in thefrear offsaid sheet being adaptedfto be"alternately operture on its iront sideadaptedto be illumi` na'ted andAviewed by .reflected light, saidV sheet having apicture onitsoppositeside alined with said picture adapted. to 'oeviewed coinpositelytherewith by; light passing through said sheet,a second sheet in therear y of said sheet having pictures on; its frontA land rear sidessiinilarto those .on said 'first mentionedKV sheet f andcoinciding"therewith,

vsaid second sheet having certain portions 4or saidpictures cutout, alight source disposed forward or posed in the rear of said sheet. 1

- Asign ydevice havingV in combination, acasing having rear andl sidewalls, guides theifront oisaid side walls, a pair 'of transparentplates-f. removably disposed lin said guides and forming the iront. ofsaid casi-ng,

translucent sheet, having 'co-operating 'pictures on its opposite sides,asheet iny the rear of saidl translucent sheet having spacedcutoutportioiis alining withy 'partsV of said pic tures, .a light sourcebetween saidrear wall said sheet and a light source dis and plates, saidcasing having chambers at each side of and .forward .of said plateshav'- ing openings at their sideswhich aregdirected Y toward eachlotherand toward saidplates,

and a light source in said chambersy whereby a light Vwilly-shinetherefrom` onto the front- Y G A sign Adevice having in' afcapsingVhaving rear and side walls, guides at the front of said side walls,apair or tran, parent plates removably' 1 disposed in said guides and nforming the 'iront' of vsaid casing` a traiishiceiiti sheethaving,cofoperatinxpi'ctures oiiitsy opposite sides, a sheetin the rearof said sheet having cut-out portions alined with parts ofthe picturesonfsaid sheets, a

light source betweensaidreariwall and plates,Y

said casing `having 'chambers at eachside'ot andy forward of said plateshaving openings at their sides which are ldirected towa-rdleach otherand toward said plate, a light source in said lchambers wherebyl a lightwill shine thereiironionto the roiit'of saidfplates and f sheets. y y 7.A sign device having in combination, a casing having rear and sidewalls, a transpar-- entplatetormiiigthe front ofv saidca'singfV meansfor holding one 'Or'more translucent combination.

ice;

slieetsin the rear of saidy plate, `a light source between said plateand said rear wall, cham` ,bers at the side of and forward'of saidtransparent plate, guides at thefront sides of said chambers, a pairofftransparent plates disvkposed in said guides and vertically removabletherefrom, an inscription bearing translucent ,sheet/between said platesa light source in each of said chambers illuminating'said last "againstsaid transparent plate. y *8. A sign display device having in 5Vitsvoppositerside 'of` different `densities and I l alined withportions of the picture `ron thementioned translucent sheets, saidchambers having openings through which light is directed by said lastVmentioned light source front side, whereby when light shines through lsaid sheet, different portions thereof will be illuminatedwitlrdilferent intensities, a light l "source vforward of, said sheetand a light Y source in the rear of said sheet, said sources 'of y atedwhereby portions of the pictures having light being, adaptedLalternately to be operink of lesser density will be accentuated inillumination and an impression of relief produced. v

9. A sign .display device having'in combisheets, said light sourcesbeing adapted to be alternately operated, whereby when said lastmentionedlight source is operated, portions of said picture areaccentuated and a relief effect produced.

l2. A sign device having in combination, a translucent 'sheet having apicture on its front side adapted to be illuminated and viewed byrelie'cted light, said picture being in different colors and comprisingsome portions white or imprinted, said sheet having areas on itsopposite side of different colors adapted to aline with said portions ofsaid picture on said front side which are white or imprinted, and asecond translucent sheet in the rear of said first mentioned sheetsimilar to said first mentioned sheet but having certain portions cuttherefrom adapted to aline with different portions of the picture onsaid rst mentioned sheet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR R. BLOOM.A

nation, a translucent sheet having a pictureY Y on its front sideadapted to be illuminated n and viewed by reiiected light, said picturebe# k,ing .printed withink of different'v densities and comprisingk.some whitey 0r unprinted portions, said sheet having on its oppositeside areas printed with ink of different densities, said areas aliningrespectively with portions of said picture on the front side of saidsheet, a lightsourc'e forward of said sheet-and a light source in therear of said c Y sheet, said `sources of light being adapted to 'bealternately operated whereby when said tain portions of the said firstsheet` last mentioned source'is operated, portions ofsaid pictures areilluminated with greater intensity thanothers and a relief effect pro- Iduced.

10'. The structure set forth in 'claim 9 anda second translucentsheet'in `the rear of said 11. Asignk display `device having in com-r`bination,'a translucent sheet having a picturef on itsfront face'adapted to be illuminated and viewed by. reflected light, said sheethavinga similar picture on its' opposite side alined with said picturebut. havingfparts of the picture printedl in diferentcolors, asimilarxsheet inthe rearof said first mentioned sheet in closeproximitythereto having similar/pictures thereon buthaving parts thereof outvaway, a'. light source forward olf/said slieetafand a.'y light sourceinthe rear. of Said:

V-first sheet similar tosaidl-irst sheet but havv, i ing portions cuttherefrom alining vwith cerf picture on the front of

